Pygmy by Chuck Palahniuk (ISBN:0385526342)

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		Pygmy
	
				(99 reviews)			
(1600 Readers)

			Chuck Palahniuk		
	
The Manchurian Candidate meets South Park—Chuck Palahniuk’s finest novel since the generation-defining Fight Club.“Begins here first account of...more
 The Manchurian Candidate meets South Park—Chuck Palahniuk’s finest novel since the generation-defining Fight Club.“Begins here first account of operative me, agent number 67 on arrival Midwestern American airport greater _____ area. Flight _____. Date _____. Priority mission top success to complete. Code name: Operation Havoc.”Thus speaks Pygmy, one of a handful of young adults from a totalitarian state sent to the United States, disguised as exchange students, to live with typical American families and blend in, all the while planning an unspecified act of massive terrorism. Palahniuk depicts Midwestern life through the eyes of this thoroughly indoctrinated little killer, who hates us with a passion, in this cunning double-edged satire of an American xenophobia that might, in fact, be completely justified. For Pygmy and his fellow operatives are cooking up something big, something truly awful, that will bring this big dumb country and its fat dumb inhabitants to their knees.It’s a comedy. And a romance.   less

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Through the eyes, narration of a terrorist exchange student to America.  Pygmy hates America and makes funny, interesting, dark, satirical observations of certain aspects of our society that will get you thinking.  Dark, sadistic, but enjoyably so.  Got to have an open mind reading this one, especially with the way it is written but the broken, but also loquacious, narration helps to get you...more
 Through the eyes, narration of a terrorist exchange student to America.  Pygmy hates America and makes funny, interesting, dark, satirical observations of certain aspects of our society that will get you thinking.  Dark, sadistic, but enjoyably so.  Got to have an open mind reading this one, especially with the way it is written but the broken, but also loquacious, narration helps to get you inside the mind of operative Pygmy.  Not for everyone, but some will find it interesting and an enjoyable read.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
There's shock rock, shock art, and this must be shock fiction. I can't remember how many times I had to put down this book and think to myself, "did he really write that?!?!"
Don't get me wrong, this is a complement in the world of boring fictions. The ending was so-so, but the rollercoaster of a storyline made it SO worth it.

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
The writing style is WAY TOO experimental. At first it was fun superimposing Borat's voice over the Pygmy's wording, but by the end it's practically a chore to read. Some of the scene's seem arbitrary in their over-the-top premises or outcome, and the satire gets completely lost in the absurdity. 

If you can get into the vocal rhythm of the narrator's voice, this can be a fun read. But, if you...more
 The writing style is WAY TOO experimental. At first it was fun superimposing Borat's voice over the Pygmy's wording, but by the end it's practically a chore to read. Some of the scene's seem arbitrary in their over-the-top premises or outcome, and the satire gets completely lost in the absurdity. 

If you can get into the vocal rhythm of the narrator's voice, this can be a fun read. But, if you try to get into the substance you might end up tripping over the words.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
A very strange novel, but like all of Palahniuk's work, it has something to tell us about ourselves.  The main character's flimsy grasp on American English highlights, sometimes painfully, the absurdity of suburban American life - it's materialism, xenophobia, animalistic rites of passage, and repression of sexual energies - but at the same time presents these things as...more
 A very strange novel, but like all of Palahniuk's work, it has something to tell us about ourselves.  The main character's flimsy grasp on American English highlights, sometimes painfully, the absurdity of suburban American life - it's materialism, xenophobia, animalistic rites of passage, and repression of sexual energies - but at the same time presents these things as redeeming qualities as well.  All in all, a very unique and interesting perspective on the United States through the eyes of a young 'terrorist'.  Palahniuk has once again found a way to make the ordinary seem extraordinary.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
To me the writing style was not so hard to understand because I'm used to talking to people whose first language is not English, but I could see how it might turn some people off.
This book seemed more emotional to me than other books by Mr. Palahniuk, or maybe I was just more emotionally invested in these characters than I have been in others.  Though it has its "shock moments", it didn't seem...more
 To me the writing style was not so hard to understand because I'm used to talking to people whose first language is not English, but I could see how it might turn some people off.
This book seemed more emotional to me than other books by Mr. Palahniuk, or maybe I was just more emotionally invested in these characters than I have been in others.  Though it has its "shock moments", it didn't seem like the focus of the book was to gross you out or horrify you, like some of his other works.
The ending seemed almost happy, so fans of Mr. Palahniuk might feel it isn't in his usual style.
All that said, I really liked this book.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
I'm not sure if this is my favorite, but still a very enjoyable read, and I appreciate some of the different things the author did with this book that he didn't do with his others. It took me a couple times to read some of the parts over as the story is told through the eyes of a foreign main character and everything he describes is through a broken English of sorts. Still very...more
 I'm not sure if this is my favorite, but still a very enjoyable read, and I appreciate some of the different things the author did with this book that he didn't do with his others. It took me a couple times to read some of the parts over as the story is told through the eyes of a foreign main character and everything he describes is through a broken English of sorts. Still very interesting and down right comical when you get some of the things he's trying to say.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
My first Palahniuk book. It came up as a recommentation for me on amazon (due to my politics, I'm guessing) I've been told this is NOT the best Palahniuk work to start with. I'm giving one star because I enjoyed the challenge of deciphering the pidgin english- both heart-wrenching & hilarious at times. I pushed my way through the shock-value (very...more
 My first Palahniuk book. It came up as a recommentation for me on amazon (due to my politics, I'm guessing) I've been told this is NOT the best Palahniuk work to start with. I'm giving one star because I enjoyed the challenge of deciphering the pidgin english- both heart-wrenching & hilarious at times. I pushed my way through the shock-value (very disturbing at times) in hopes of a redemptive conclusion. I was disappointed. Sadly, looking back I must say that the fascinating writing did not make up for the lack of substance.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
I was convinced this was better than Snuff until i got to the end.Now I'm not so sure.Palahniuk does have good ideas,unfortunetly he fails to pull them off.You never care about any of his characters at all,and i am kind of tired of all the weird little facts or quotes he feels need to be thrown in every chapter.I really want to like his books,but i am getting bored with them.

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							Chris
						
							few weeks ago						
It might not be fair for me to rate this since I did not finish it.  I got a short ways into it without being particularly impressed with the rather gimmicky narrative style of a secret operative with poor English skills.  I quit when it got to a brutal rape scene described in minute detail and in a tone that celebrates this revenge scene.  I've enjoyed other books by Mr. P, but this may be...more
 It might not be fair for me to rate this since I did not finish it.  I got a short ways into it without being particularly impressed with the rather gimmicky narrative style of a secret operative with poor English skills.  I quit when it got to a brutal rape scene described in minute detail and in a tone that celebrates this revenge scene.  I've enjoyed other books by Mr. P, but this may be the last time I give him a try.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Almost as bad as Snuff was. He actually had something interesting going at first but it quickly starts to deteriorate into shock tactics and formulaic patterns. I have no faith in Chuck Palahniuk anymore. He has talent but he just isn't trying anymore and hacks up a book once a year using the successful but played out formula he's been using since "Fight Club" to make some extra...more
 Almost as bad as Snuff was. He actually had something interesting going at first but it quickly starts to deteriorate into shock tactics and formulaic patterns. I have no faith in Chuck Palahniuk anymore. He has talent but he just isn't trying anymore and hacks up a book once a year using the successful but played out formula he's been using since "Fight Club" to make some extra cash.   hide

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